Studio Final: Concept Statement

During the initial site visit one of the observations I made was that Dartmouth Street was wider than Boylston Street, Clarendon Street and St. James Avenue, which are the four streets bounding Copley square. Boston Public Library creates a strong edge across Dartmouth along the west side of the square. Even more evident is the view from the south looking up Dartmouth Street from South End. From this view I observed Dartmouth as being a corridor and decided this was an opportunity to for the New Old South Church and our building site to create a Gateway into Boston’s Back Bay area.
Since its inception the Back Bay area has been physically and socially separated from Boston’s South End. With the natural development of Copley Square as the meeting of these two neighborhoods, and Dartmouth Street being a major north south artery between the two, it is appropriate that this intersection at Dartmouth and Boylston leading into the Back Bay act as a “Physical Gateway”.

"Physical Gateway"
To Back Bay

The Digital Industry has metaphorically acted as our society’s Gateway into the Future. And this ‘digital client’ has been the leader in opening our society up to the possibilities for the future. This Digital Gateway will be interactive with events or activities happening in the store.


"Digital Gateway"
Into to the Future

Studio Final: Site Analysis

Secondary Ideas

The south façade of the building has a strong relationship with the Copley Square at the square’s ‘collector’ on the southeast corner of Boylston and Dartmouth. therefore, at the pedestrian level the “entry” and store brand will have a strong presence, forming a Visual Bridge to the square.

Additionally, at night the pedestrian level and the lit Storefront and Entry will stand out as pedestrians travel through the square and surrounding Back Bay area. The corner of the building will be recessed at ground level to act as a ‘collector’ of potential customers for the store and the internet café.

BRIDGEWAY/COLLECTOR

There are “multiple experiences” (driving, walking, pedestrian stopping, etc.) that were addressed. The corner entrance is inviting and this area also acts as a “collector” of potential customers, responding to the collector at the northwest corner of Copley Square.

The Massing Diagram shows the context. And allows us to understand the strong axis the Dartmouth Street serves as along the west side of Copley Square.


As this Viewsheds Diagram illustrates, the Physical Gateway is the primary focus to bring vehicular traffic from the South End towards the Back Bay area. The Digital Gateway focuses attention to the Digital Store. And its role in opening us to the future. Potential customers are encouraged to “flow” seamlessly and freely throughout the store.

Viewsheds

Studio Final: Research and Exploration

Moving from concept development and site analysis, I began to develop the building program. The digital Store ocuppies thre floors of the building while the remainder is leasable space.


The Bubble Diagrams helped to begin to work out how each space would work with the others and to visually associate spaces and their relationships.

Bubble Biagrams

Studio Final: Site and Roof Plan

The building occupies the entire site. The roof includes the TOWER, WHICH culminates with a glazed skylite feature that allows natural light into the Observation Tower. Additionally, by having the tower visually open at the top, this feature SYMBOLICALLY RELATES to the “Gateway to the Future”. We are always striving to better brighter future, but the future will always be out OUR REACH.

Site/Roof Plan

Studio Final: Plan

Digital Store / Internet Cafe'

In the ground floor plan I wanted to create an inviting, open space to allow pedestrians, and customers to easily flow into the 'Digital Store'. I utilized the undulating wall to convey a less rigid flow to the entrance. The remainder of the open exterior space on the ground floor is the Entry Plaza and Outdoor Seating for the Internet Cafe'.


The Entrance to the 'Digital Store' is angled off of the axis of the physical gateway, also a more inviting gesture. I decided to use round columns at the Entrance to further differentiate it from the rectilinear physical gateway. The round columns at the entrance will be a modern material (i.e. stainless steel) to mark customer's entrance into the "Gateway to the Future". Once inside customers can freely flow from area to area, and vertically move up the sculptural stair to the second floor.

Entrance Analysis

Digital Store / Restaurant

On the second floor of the 'Digital Store' customers will be able to continue to enjoy the pleasures of the digital future. At this same level there will be a Restaurant which is accessible from the elevator at the Cafe' Vestibule. At the second floor portion of the Restaurant diners will have the opportunity to visually interact with activities on the first floor of the 'Digital Store', which is a triple height space. Patrons of the Digital Store have access to an exterior Deck, or Balcony. The Balcony was designed to visually 'bridge' users of this building with pedestrians at the 'collector space' at Copley Square.

Digital Store / Service

The third floor contains additional the Restaurant Kitchen, Accesories Area, and operational functions for the 'Digital Store'. The diners at this level have limited space to experience the triple height space. And the walls in the Offices and Conference Room facing the triple height space are full height glazing to allow visual access of the store operations to mangers and store personnel.


Leasable Space / Observation Tower

The fourth and fifth floors are lease space, but include access to the Observation Tower and the exterior Deck on the south façade.

The sixth floor is also lease space, but include access to the Observation Tower and the exterior Deck on the south façade. The Observation Tower contains two landings that provide viewing windows along the west façade facing the New Old South Church and Boston Public Library, and along the south façade overlooking Copley Square, Trinity Church and the John Hancock Building.

Studio Final: Section

The zone designated as the ‘physical’ Gateway includes an outdoors ‘collector’ space at the ground level corner of Boylston and Dartmouth; and an Internet Café’, with outdoor seating near the northwest corner of the ground level. The triple height volume, which is defined by the undulating glass wall, is the focal point of the Digital Store. It is designed to provide openness and freedom of movement, which is symbolic for the freedom and openness that digital technology allows us.

This site section shows the triple height volume facing the store entry, and the Accessories and Software Areas, which overlook the Digital Store Showroom. The triple height volume the houses the Laptop and Desktop Areas The Kid's Room is a place where children can safely explore educational digital devices while their parents freely browse the store.

The support functions are located at the back of the store adjacent to the rear alley for ease of access for delivery or service personnel.

Section A-A facing north (northwest) and
Section B-B facing east (northeast).





Section C-C facing west (southwest) and
Section D-D facing south (southeast).

Studio Final: Elevations

The South Elevation includes the taller element constructed of puddle stone panels to tie into the 'gateway' theme. This element also includes a skylight which symbolizes the infinite opportunities of our digital future' and also allows natural light into the building. The undulating wall is a butt glass system, to allow floor to ceiling unobstructed viewing into the 'Digital Store'. The major portion of the facade is a curtain wall system, which utilizes smart glass as the glazing material to allow the option of visual interaction of the 'Digital Store' with its customers. The store can run promotions and "alter the smart glass whenever a sale is made, or when repeat customers enter the store". Fenestration at the vertical break directly behind the Balconies is a clear storefront system.

South Elevation and West Elevation

The south and west facades were broken up by introducing a setback between the ‘physical’ gateway and the smart glass panel system. This setback visually marks the entrance to the Digital Store, and provides opportunity for exterior decks facing Copley Square. These exterior decks are accessible from the second and third floors of the Digital Store, and the Observation Stair Tower on floors four through six.

CONTINUE TO "OLDER POSTS" TO SEE PERSPECTIVES